PRIOR PRINTER'S NO. 37 PRINTER'S NO. 476
No. 27 Session of 1993
INTRODUCED BY LLOYD, TOMLINSON, GEIST, PETRARCA, COY, DeLUCA, DeWEESE, FEE, HERMAN, PESCI, FAIRCHILD, MUNDY, LAUGHLIN, CAPPABIANCA, BATTISTO, CESSAR, JOSEPHS, TIGUE, PISTELLA, FARGO, VANCE AND WILLIAMS, JANUARY 27, 1993
AS REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE ON PROFESSIONAL LICENSURE, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, AS AMENDED, MARCH 16, 1993
AN ACT
1 Empowering the General Counsel or his designee to issue
2 subpoenas for certain licensing board activities; providing
3 for hearing examiners in the Bureau of Professional and
4 Occupational Affairs; providing additional powers to the
5 Commissioner of Professional and Occupational Affairs; AND <--
6 further providing for civil penalties and license
7 suspension.; and making repeals. <--
8 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
9 hereby enacts as follows:
10 Section 1. Definitions.
11 The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
12 have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
13 context clearly indicates otherwise:
14 "DISCIPLINARY MATTER." ANY MATTER SUBJECT TO A LICENSING <--
15 BOARD'S OR COMMISSION'S JURISDICTION IN WHICH THE LICENSING
16 BOARD OR COMMISSION HAS THE AUTHORITY TO REFUSE, SUSPEND, REVOKE
17 OR LIMIT A LICENSE, REGISTRATION, CERTIFICATE, OR PERMIT OR TO
18 IMPOSE A CIVIL PENALTY OR OTHER DISCIPLINE UNDER ANY ACT.
19 "Licensing boards." Those departmental or administrative
1 boards under the Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs 2 in the Department of State. 3 "Licensing commissions." Those departmental or 4 administrative commissions under the Bureau of Professional and 5 Occupational Affairs in the Department of State. 6 Section 2. Investigatory subpoena power. 7 The General Counsel or his designee shall have the power and 8 his duty shall be to issue subpoenas upon application of an 9 attorney responsible for representing the Commonwealth in 10 disciplinary matters before a licensing board or commission for 11 the purpose of investigating alleged violations of the 12 disciplinary provisions administered by a licensing board or 13 commission; provided that, if their disclosure is subject to a 14 privilege provided by law, patient or client records may not be 15 subpoenaed without the consent of the patient or client or 16 without order of a court of competent jurisdiction showing that 17 the records are reasonably necessary for the conduct of the 18 investigation. The court may impose such limitation on the scope 19 of the subpoena as may be necessary to prevent unnecessary 20 intrusion into patient or client confidential information. The 21 attorney responsible for representing the Commonwealth in 22 disciplinary matters before a licensing board or commission is 23 authorized to apply to Commonwealth Court to enforce the 24 subpoenas. Nothing in this clause shall be construed to excuse a 25 person from producing documents and records as requested by a 26 licensing board or commission under any other provision of law. 27 Section 3. Hearing examiners. 28 (a) Appointment.--Notwithstanding any other provision of 29 law, the Commissioner of the Bureau of Professional and 30 Occupational Affairs, after consultation with the licensing 19930H0027B0476 - 2 -
1 boards and commissions, shall appoint such hearing examiners as 2 may be necessary to conduct hearings in disciplinary matters 3 before a licensing board or commission. EACH LICENSING BOARD AND <-- 4 COMMISSION SHALL HAVE THE POWER TO DECIDE IF A SPECIFIC 5 DISCIPLINARY MATTER OR TYPE OF DISCIPLINARY MATTER IS TO BE 6 HEARD BY THE LICENSING BOARD OR COMMISSION ITSELF OR BY A 7 HEARING EXAMINER APPOINTED PURSUANT TO THIS SUBSECTION. 8 (b) Regulations.--The Commissioner of Professional and 9 Occupational Affairs, after consultation with the licensing 10 boards and commissions, shall have the power to promulgate 11 regulations setting forth the functions, powers, standards, <-- 12 procedures and duties PROCEDURAL RULES to be followed by any <-- 13 such hearing examiners appointed to conduct IN THE CONDUCT OF <-- 14 hearings in disciplinary matters before a licensing board or 15 commission. ALL PROCEEDINGS SHALL BE CONDUCTED IN ACCORDANCE <-- 16 WITH THE PROVISIONS OF 2 PA.C.S. (RELATING TO ADMINISTRATIVE LAW 17 AND PROCEDURE). 18 (c) Powers.--Such hearing examiners shall have the power to 19 conduct hearings in accordance with applicable statutes, RULES <-- 20 and regulations and, to issue subpoenas requiring the attendance <-- 21 and testimony of individuals or the production of pertinent 22 records or other papers by persons whom they believe have 23 information relevant to any matters pending before the examiner 24 AND TO ISSUE DECISIONS. <-- 25 (d) Time periods.--In all disciplinary matters before a 26 licensing board or commission, hearings shall commence within 90 27 days after the date on which an answer is filed. Any continuance 28 granted prior to the commencement of the hearing shall toll the 29 90-day requirement by the period of the continuance. A decision 30 shall be rendered within 180 days after the record is closed. 19930H0027B0476 - 3 -
1 The board or commission shall render a final adjudication or 2 decision on any exceptions to the decision of a hearing examiner 3 or any applications for review within 90 days of the filing of 4 such exceptions or applications, provided that a board or 5 commission may delegate to a hearing examiner the authority to 6 render a final adjudication or decision in such cases as deemed 7 appropriate. 8 Section 4. Additional powers for Commissioner of Professional 9 and Occupational Affairs. 10 In addition to the powers and duties imposed under law, the 11 Commissioner of Professional and Occupational Affairs, or his 12 designee, shall be a member of each of the licensing boards and 13 commissions except the State Board of Certified Real Estate 14 Appraisers and the Navigation Commission for the Delaware River 15 and its Navigable Tributaries. The Commissioner of Professional 16 and Occupational Affairs, or his designee, may serve as the 17 designee of the Secretary of the Commonwealth on the Navigation 18 Commission for the Delaware River and its Navigable Tributaries. 19 Section 5. Civil penalties. 20 (a) Authorization.--The Commissioner of Professional and 21 Occupational Affairs, after consultation with the licensing 22 boards and commissions, shall have the power to adopt a schedule 23 of civil penalties for operating without a current, registered, 24 unsuspended and unrevoked license, registration, certificate or 25 permit and for violating any provision of their respective acts 26 or regulations relating to the conduct or operation of a 27 business or facility licensed by such licensing boards and 28 commissions. THE SCHEDULE OF PENALTIES SHALL NOT BE APPLICABLE <-- 29 TO DISCIPLINARY MATTERS UNDER THE JURISDICTION OF A LICENSING 30 BOARD OR COMMISSION UNLESS THAT LICENSING BOARD OR COMMISSION 19930H0027B0476 - 4 -
1 HAS APPROVED THE SCHEDULE. The schedule of penalties, guidelines 2 for their imposition and procedures for appeal shall be 3 published in the Pennsylvania Bulletin, provided that the 4 commissioner shall, within two years of such publication, 5 promulgate a regulation setting forth the schedule of penalties, 6 guidelines and procedures. Any such penalty shall not exceed the 7 sum of $500 $1,000. Duly authorized agents of the bureau shall <-- 8 have the power and authority to issue citations and impose 9 penalties for any such violations. Any such penalty imposed may 10 be appealed to a hearing examiner or the licensing board or 11 commission pursuant to the regulations promulgated under section 12 3(b). If the appeal is initially to a hearing examiner, the 13 relevant licensing board or commission shall render a decision 14 on any exceptions to the decision of the hearing examiner or on 15 any applications for review in accordance with section 3(d). All 16 proceedings shall be conducted in accordance with the provisions 17 of 2 Pa.C.S. (relating to administrative law and procedure). If <-- 18 a penalty is imposed under this subsection, no additional civil 19 penalty may be imposed for the same act. 20 (b) Additional powers.--In addition to the disciplinary 21 powers and duties of the boards and commissions within the 22 Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs under their 23 respective practice acts, boards and commissions shall have the 24 power, respectively: 25 (1) To impose discipline on any licensee, registrant, 26 certificate holder or permit holder who violates a lawful 27 disciplinary order of the board. 28 (2) To impose discipline on any licensee, registrant, 29 certificate holder or permit holder who aids and abets the 30 unlicensed practice of a profession, occupation or business. 19930H0027B0476 - 5 -
1 (3) To levy a civil penalty of not more than $1,000 on 2 any corporation, partnership, institution or, association OR <-- 3 SOLE PROPRIETORSHIP, which aids and abets any individual in 4 the unlicensed practice of a profession. This penalty shall 5 not, however, be levied against any person solely as a 6 consequence of that person being a patient or client of the 7 unlicensed individual. 8 (C) RESTRICTIONS.--ANY DECISIONS RENDERED BY A LICENSING <-- 9 BOARD OR COMMISSION ON ANY EXCEPTIONS TO THE DECISION OF A 10 HEARING EXAMINER OR ON ANY APPLICATION FOR REVIEW IN ACCORDANCE 11 WITH SECTION 3(D) TO IMPOSE A CIVIL PENALTY PURSUANT TO THIS 12 SECTION SHALL REQUIRE THE SAME NUMBER OF VOTES REQUIRED FOR THE 13 LICENSING BOARD OR COMMISSION TO IMPOSE A CIVIL PENALTY UNDER 14 ANY OTHER ACT. NOTHING IN THIS SECTION SHALL BE CONSTRUED TO 15 RESTRICT THE POWERS AND DUTIES UNDER ANY OTHER ACT OF A 16 LICENSING BOARD OR COMMISSION IN DISCIPLINARY MATTERS, EXCEPT 17 THAT A LICENSING BOARD OR COMMISSION MAY NOT IMPOSE A CIVIL 18 PENALTY UNDER ANY OTHER ACT FOR THE SAME VIOLATION FOR WHICH A 19 CIVIL PENALTY HAS BEEN IMPOSED PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION. 20 (c) (D) Status of civil penalty.--Any civil penalty imposed <-- 21 pursuant to this section or imposed by any licensing board or 22 commission under any other act shall be a judgment in favor of 23 the Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs upon the 24 person or the property of the person upon whom the civil penalty 25 is imposed. The Attorney General shall be responsible for 26 enforcing such judgments in courts of competent jurisdiction in 27 accordance with the provisions of 42 Pa.C.S. (relating to 28 judiciary and judicial procedure). 29 (d) (E) Definition.--As used in this section, the term <-- 30 "unlicensed practice" means: 19930H0027B0476 - 6 -
1 (1) practicing a profession or occupation or operating a 2 business for which a license, registration, certificate or 3 permit is required without holding a valid, unexpired, 4 unrevoked or unsuspended authority to do so; or 5 (2) representing to the public or any person, through 6 offerings, advertisements or the use of a title that the 7 individual is qualified to practice a profession, occupation 8 or business for which a license, registration, certificate or 9 permit is required without holding a valid, unexpired, 10 unrevoked or unsuspended authority to do so. 11 Section 6. Suspensions. <-- 12 (a) Automatic suspension.--A license, registration, 13 certificate or permit of a person shall automatically be 14 suspended upon imprisonment because of conviction under Federal 15 or State law or the laws of any other state of insurance fraud 16 or Medicaid or Medicare fraud, such suspension to be concurrent 17 with the period during which such person is imprisoned because 18 of the conviction. 19 (b) Required proceedings.--An immediate investigation shall 20 be initiated to determine if the license, registration, 21 certificate or permit of a person should be suspended as 22 follows: 23 (1) Upon denial of participation in the Medicaid or 24 Medicare program because of a violation of either program as 25 determined under Federal or State law or the laws of any 26 other state. 27 (2) Upon suspension or revocation by the United States 28 or any other state of a license, registration, certificate or 29 permit to practice in the United States or other state. 30 (c) Longer suspensions.--Nothing in this section shall be 19930H0027B0476 - 7 -
1 construed to prohibit a licensing board or commission from 2 imposing a longer suspension than prescribed by subsection (a), 3 provided that the board or commission shall impose a longer 4 suspension only after notice and an opportunity to be heard and 5 that the automatic suspension shall not be stayed pending a 6 decision by the board or commission on whether to impose a 7 longer suspension. 8 (d) Definition.--As used in this section, the term 9 "conviction" shall include a finding or an admission of guilt, a 10 plea of nolo contendere, probation without verdict, Accelerated 11 Rehabilitative Disposition or disposition in lieu of trial. 12 Section 7 6. Reports. <-- 13 Licensing boards and commissions shall submit annually to the 14 Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure Committee of the 15 Senate and to the Professional Licensure Committee of the House 16 of Representatives a report containing the following: 17 (1) Description of the types of complaints received. 18 (2) Status of cases. 19 (3) Total number of cases and type of disciplinary 20 action taken. 21 (4) Percentage of disciplinary actions in relation to 22 the total number of licensees. 23 (5) Number of closed cases. 24 (6) Average number of days to close a case. 25 (7) Number of revocations and suspensions. 26 (8) Percentage of revocations and suspensions in 27 relation to the total number of licensees. 28 Section 8 7. Repeals. <-- 29 All acts or parts of acts are repealed insofar as they are 30 inconsistent with the provisions of this act. 19930H0027B0476 - 8 -
1 Section 9 8. Applicability. <-- 2 Section 5 of this act shall apply only to disciplinary 3 proceedings commenced on or after the effective date of this 4 act. 5 Section 10 9. Effective date. <-- 6 This act shall take effect in 60 days. L15L71WMB/19930H0027B0476 - 9 -